Automatic igniter



March 24, 1953 s. v. E. TAYLOR AUTOMATIC IGNITER Filed March 25, 1950 2SHEETS--SHEET l INVENTOR Scott V.E.Toylor ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 24,1953 UNITED STAT PTENT OFFICE This invention relates to igniters andmore particularly to one for automatically igniting the fuel in a smudgepot or similar article.

One of the objects of the invention is to pron duce an improved igniterwhich will be automatically operated when certain conditions occur.

A further and more specific object is to produce an igniter for a smudgepot which will be so controlled by a thermostatic element that theigniter will be automatically operated when the air temperature dropsbelow a predetermined reading.

Another object is to produce an igniter which can be pre-set foropera-tion and then automatically operated when certain conditionsoccur.

Yet another and mo-re specific object is to produce a smudge pot igniterof the thermostatic control type which will be simple in construction,

Ieconomical to manufacture, easily attached to in connection with theaccompanying drawings showing a preferred construction.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a side view of a smudge pot having mounted thereon animproved automatically opera-ted igniter embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a top View of the igniter;

' ligure 3 is an enlarged View showing the igniter mounted on the smudgepot with parts being shown broken away and in section, the

lsectional view of the igniter being taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side view of the igniter with parts being broken away andin section lto show structure within the housing;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional View showing the igni-ting -wheel andiiint, said view being taken on the line 5-5 oi Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken on the line '6--6 of Figure 4 showingdetails of the attaching of the thermostatic element to the housing; and

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional View taken on the line l-1 of Figure 2showing the main wick saturating system.

Referring to the drawings in detail, S indicates a well known smudge potfor use in orchards whereby, when lighted, a smudge will be produced inthe area and thereby prevent damage to lthe trees, due to temperatureswithin a limited range 12 Claims. (Cl. 67-10.1)

just below freezing. The smudge or fog produced will lie adjacent theground and so surround the trees that temperatures, say in the rangebetween 28 to 32 degrees F., present under normal atmospheric`conditions will not be present in the smudge area. In order to producethe necessary smudge in the atmosphere to prevent damage from freezing,a large number of pots must be employed and of course this presents aproblem in lighting all these pots at a proper time to prevent damage,particularly where a ltem-- perature fall to a point below freezing maybe very rapid and unexpected. Smudge pot lighting presents aconsiderable problem when it has to be done by an individual going toeach pot, because the freezing temperatures which occur generally corneduring the night, thus requiring lighting under adverse conditions,particularly as to visibility.

Numerous igniting devices have been attempted to be produced which willpermit the automatic igniting oi smudge pots whenever a temperaturereaches a predetermined value, but these igniting devices have not beensuccessful because of numerous reasons, possi-bly the most important ofwhich isthe failure of the igniter to operate when operation isrequired. When thermostatic elements are employed tocontrol theoperation of the igniters, the structure employed to be controlled hasbeen such that the thermostatic element is erratic with respect to thetemperatures at which it is supposed to operate. Often the thermostaticelement will not cause the igniter to function at all until a much lowertemperature is reached than that at which it should have operated andwas so set. n

With my improved automatically operated igniter, it is believed that allthese objections to prior constructions have .been overcome and anigniter has been produced which will operate efficiently and accurately,with a very minimum number of failures in lighting the smudgepots. Thisimproved igniter is shown as being mounted on a smudge pot in Figure `land is generally indicated by the letter I.

As bes-t shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the igniter, in its preferredconstruction, has an elongated casing C made from two pressed metalparts l0 and Il. The main part I0 of the casing is of inverted U-shapedconstruction so as to be open at the bottom. The other part Il is in theform of a plate having ange ends and is so constructed that it can actas a bottom for the U-shaped part I0 and also provide necessary mountingstructure for the rotatable parts of the igniter. Flange l2, at the rearend of the casing part Il, forms an end wall for the U-shaped part andalso provides` means 'for attaching the two parts together as by a screwI3. The other front flange I4 of the part lIl extends upwardly into theU-shaped part I inwardly of its end wall I5. IThe front end on the twocasing parts may be attached in any suitable manner, as -by the pin Iiishown.

Flangesv I2AV and vIl-*ofr the casing'pa-rt II havejournaled therein ashaft I5 with the rear end extending outwardly beyond the casing and theforward end extending into the space. be. tween the forward flange leand the end wallA I5. The shaft is held in flange I4- by a shoulder onone side and a washer and pin arrangement I6 as shown. Mounted on thisVforwardend' of" the shaft I6 is a knurled wheel I'I which is arranged tomove over the end surface of a flint I8 to; thereby produce sparksV in awell known manner. The flint is mounted in a member I9 secured totheflange Ill and overlying the knurled wheel. In. -order that the flintmay be maintained in pressure engagement at all times with the knurledsurface. ofv the wheel Il', a leaf spring .20 is secured tothev top wallof the U-shaped casing part III with; its free end acting on the end ofthe flint which is opposite the end engaged by the knurled wheel.

Y The-'shaft I6 is arranged. to be rotated by means of, a spring whichis shown as an elongated coil spring. 2l surrounding the shaft I6throughout substantially its length between thetwo flanges I2` and I4 ofthe casing `part II. The forward end, of the springis secured to theforward flange kt4 and the rear end of the spring is secured tothefshafhasV by a. pin 22. The extreme rear end of the shaft whichextends out beyond the rear end .of the casing is provided with akey-.type handle v23.. Inwardly of this handle is a ratchet wheel '24which is arranged to be engaged by a latchk means .25. r:Che elementforming the latch nzleansismade from leaf spring material and is'mounted. in a` support member26 welded to the part. II of the casing.The Ylatch element is secured :to the mounting` member 2.6 by beingpositioned in a slot in said part and held in said 'slotv by. a pin 21.The latch means is so mounted Vinlithe mounting member that its upperend will be-inormallyv outl of: engagement withfany of the teethjontheratchet wheel, and to` engage the vlatc,h mea;ns with a tooth oftheratchet. wheel itl-is necessary to ex the leaf Aspring structures'orit will be somewhat bowed. The resiliency of the leaf springstructure of the latch means is` .suchthat unless the-latch meansisrmaintained in'engagement with a tooth by. external forces,will-.spring'back to itsnormal condition free of; engagement with any ofthe teeth of the ratchet. wheel and thereby permit the shaft I 6 .tofreelyv rotate, all notwithstanding that the shaft may be acted uponwith considerable torque by a wound up condition of the coil spring 2|when the latch means-is engaged.

The particular means which is employed for maintaining the latch meansengaged withy a toothk of the ratchet wheel to thereby hold thespring-2| in a wound up condition and for controlling the release of thelatch meanscomprises 1a-wire 28, a swingable member 29- and athermostatic element 3). The wire 28 is connected to the latch means 25and extends from there around the rear edge of one sidewall of thecasing to the front end of the casing adjacent the knurled vvh'eelwhichperforms the sparking. The wire is `thensecured to the front end of thecasing by ascrew 3|. This wire. is normally insuch a slack condition.that it willV permit the latch means 25 to assum'eits normal position,where itis disengagedfiom any tooth. If the wire, however,

has its intermediate part moved away from the casing a predetermineddistance, it can be caused to hold the latch means 25 in engagement witha tooth of the'ratchet wheel. In order to hold this wiref outwardly in`su'ch aV holdingy position for the latch means, there is provided theswingable member 29 which is shown as being in the' formof a smallhinge. One part 32 of the hinge will'be secured to the side of thecasing and the other. part 33, of the hinge will be free to swingoutwardly and engage the wire and, by its edge, move its Aintermediateportion to such a position that holding the latch means can beaccomplished. The length of the wire will be so selected that the wirecan hold the latch means 25 `in engaged position with a tooth wheneverythe hinged part 33 of the swingable means is moved outwardly from theplane of the side ofthe cas'- ing approximately 75 degrees. n

To hold this hinge part 33 outwardly, the thermostatic .element 30 isemployed which is a bowed member made from strips of metal havingdifferent coecients of expansion, as is well known. One end of thisthermostaticY element is secured to the side of the casing opposite theswingable member by means of screws 313. From this mounting position theelement is arranged to bow over the top of the casing and down to apoint adjacent the top of the hinge part. 33 of the swingable member 29.Thisfree end of the element is provided with a notch 35V which canreceive the top marginal portion of the hinged part and thus holdit.in.its outward position where it can maintain the wire taut and thelatch means 25 engaged withthe tooth. Since the wire, under a tautcondition, will tendto force the thermostatic element laterally andaffect its accuracy, such can be prevented by the use of the guide strip36. It will be noted that this guide strip is securedk to the topsurface of the casing C by screws 3lv and projects outwardly to act as aguide and abutment for that side of the free end of the thermostaticelement towards which the element will be twisted by the action of thetaut wire. The thermostaticv elementis mounted to be in a plane lessthan degrees to the longitudinal axis of the casing and this isaccomplished by deforming outwardly a portion of the side of the casingto which the element is secured by the screws BIL, all as best shown indetail in Figure 6. y The guidey member 361 will also have the sameangular position as the thermostatic element.

The thermostatic element is so constructed that the free end of theelement will move outwardly away from the casing as the temperaturedrops and the design is such that when the temperature surrounding theigniter approaches. the freezing temperature, the free end will be somoved outwardly as to release the hinge part 33. Due to the angularposition of this partfand the forces acting on it by the tautwire 28,the hinge part will collapse, when released, against the side of thecasing and thus permit thewire to be slack. The resilient action of thelatch means will then cause it to become disengaged from the engagedtooth of the ratchet wheeland consequently the coil spring ZIsurrounding the shaft Ifwill give said shaft a rapid rotation, whichrotation will result -in the knurled wheelproducing sparks by beingmoved over the end of the int.

Whenever the -knurled wheel and the flint lcauses sparking, a wick 38Vwillbe ignited andby means of this wickthefuelin the. smudgepotlighted.` Byreference toFi'g'ures 3r and'it willbe it will be held bythe latch 'wire is now permitted to seen that this wick is positioned ina tube 39 which extends from the casing C at a point closely adjacentone edge of the knurled wheel, into the smudge pot through its cover 48.The wick may be of any suitable inflammable material or can be a fuse.As shown, it is of suitable inflammable material and is arranged to bemaintained saturated with a readily inflammable liquid such as ordinarycigaret fluid lighter, gasoline or the like. To accomplish this the tubeadjacent the igniter will be provided with a small annular member 4lsuitably brazed or otherwise secured to the top of the tube 39 andthereby provide a chamber 4Z in which the inflammable liquid can beplaced. Extending upwardly into the chamber and above the liquid line isa small conduit Q3 which is arranged to be in communication with theinterior of the wick carrying tube 39. To conduct the liquid from thechamber Q2 to the wick 38 in the tube 39 to cause it to be fullysaturated and readily inflammable, there is provided a secondary wick 44which can be tied to the main wick 318 and then extend upwardly throughthe conduit i3 and into the liquid in the chamber 42. The tube l formingthe chamber i2 can be closed by a cork l5 or any other capping means.

In order that the igniter may be readily attached to a smudge potalready in use and not having an igniter or by a manufacture to a newlyconstructed pot, the casing has two attaching brackets l5 and lllextending laterally in the same direction as the tube. In the ends ofthese brackets are holes 43 whereby screws is may be employed to attachthe brackets to the smudge pot cover 4t; The brackets will be oisu'icient length that the igniter will set some distance to one side ofthe pot, so that when the pot is lighted and operating to produce asmudge, the ignitel` will not be damaged by heat.

In operation of my improved igniter, the igniter is installed on thesmudge pot, as shown, with the main wick 38 caused to be saturated withan inflammable liquid, which is accomplished by iilling the chamber i2so that the small wick will conduit this liquid to the main wick. To setthe igniter for operation, the hinge part 33 is swung outwardly and thethermostatic element 3! caused to receive such part in the slot 35. Thiswill pull on the wire 2S and bow the latch means 25 so that it engagesthe ratchet wheel. The shaft i6 is now turned by hand to wind up coilspring 2l where means. If desired,

the shaft 'and spring can be wound up prior to setting the hinge part33. 1n this way it will not be necessary to ratchet the wheel Zover thelatch means.

With the igniter now set, it will automatically operate when thetemperature falls to approximately freezing. When such a temperatureoccurs, the free end of the thermostatic element will be so swungoutwardly as to release the hinge part 33 which will then be collapsedagainst the side of the casing due to its angular position and relationto the force applied by the taut wire. The become slack and the latchmeans will be released Yby its springing back to normal condition. Theshaft i6 is now freed for rotation by the wound up condition of spring2l. This causes rapid rotation of the knurled wheel with resultingsparks from the flint H and the igniting of the wick. The burning of thewick will then cause the smudge pot fuel to be lighted.

It will be noted that the thermostatic element is so constructed andassociated with the control 6 parts that it does not have to move underany high friction. It thus will have an accurate movement. The angle ofthe hinge part is -such thatthe taut wire will produce only a smallforce acting in a direction to push the free end of the thermostaticelement against the guide strip 36. Once the wire is permitted to becomeslack, the latch means will release instantly, due to the inherentstrong forces tending to bring it to normal condition from its flexedholding position. The sparking structure, including the knurled wheeland flint, are fully protected against wind and rain.

From an understanding of the structure embodying my invention, it isbelieved to be obvious that modifications can be made. Other types ofigniting wheels can be employed, as well as igniting substances, suchas, for example, friction substance and ordinary matches. In view ofthese obvious modifications, it is therefore understood that I do notintend that the scope of my invention be limited in any manner except inaccordance with the appended claims. y

W hat is claimed is:

l. In an igniter, a member rotatable by spring means to accomplishigniting, ratchet means including a latch means associated with themember for holding the member from rotation by the spring means, saidlatch means being normally biased to a non-holding position, and meansfor maintaining the latch means in holding position as long as thetemperature surrounding the igniter is above a predetermined degree andfor automatically allowing it to assume non-holding position when thetemperature falls below the said predetermined degree.

2. In an igniter, a member rotatable by spring means to accomplishigniting, ratchet means including a latch means associated with themember for holding the member from rotation by the spring means, saidlatch means being normally conditioned in a non-holding position, andmeans for maintaining the latch means in holding position, and means forautomatically causing the latch means to assume non-holding positionwhen the temperature falls below a predetermined degree,

3. In an automatically operable smudge pot igniter, a member rotatableby spring means to accomplish igniting, ratchet means including latchmeans associated with the member for holding the member from rotation bythe spring means, said latch means being normally biased-to anon-holding position, and means for maintaining the latch means inholding position as long as the temperature surrounding the igniter isabove a predetermined degree and for automatically allowing it to assumenon-holding position Awhen the temperature falls .below saidpredetermined degree, said last named means comprising a member movableto a position to hold the latch means operable, and a thermostaticelement engageable with the movable member only when the temperature isabove a predetermined degree. Y

Ll. In an igniter having a member rotatable by spring means toaccomplish igniting and latch means to hold the member from rotation bythe spring means when in biased condition to cause rotation, a ilexiblecord connected to thel latch means and capable of holding the latchmeans operative when tensioned, and thermostatically controlled meansfor releasing the cord from its tensioned latch holding condition when apredetermined temperature occurs.

5. In an igniter having a member rotatable by spring means to accomplishigniting and latch incanta-t'ozlroidv the member'. from: rotation. byfthe s prlingm'eanswhen' in` biasedcondition to; cause rotation,4 afflexiblefcord connected to the 'latch meansf'an'd' capable of holdingthe latch means operative `when tensioned, a'm'ovable member' toaccomplish the tensioning, and a. thermostatic element'forlholding themovable member in tensioning..position: as. long as the surroundingVtemperature is. above a predetermined degree.

4an igniter, va rotatable member `fory accomplishing; 'igniting,.spring. Ymeans lfor rotating said member, latch'means for' holding` saidmembenfrom' rotation by the spring. means, and means for releasingthe-latch means comprising a thermostatic element, a swingable member,and an anchored' flexible cord. connected te the latch, saidy swingablemember cooperating withithe cord .tozholdit tensioned andthe latchengaged and saidfthermosta'tie element holding the swingable member inkits latch holding position but release- `able therefrom when subjecttov a. predetermined temperature.

7. In an igniter, a retable member forv accomplishing igniting, springmeans for rotating said member,.latch means for holding said member fromrotation by the lspring means,.and means for releasing the latchmeanscomprising a ther- `mostatic element, a swingable member, and ananchored exible cord connectedto the latch, said swingable membercooperating with the cord be- .tween itsfanchor andthe latch means tohold it .tensioned by a .lateral denection thereof and .thereby hold thelatch engaged and said thermostatic element holding. the swingablemember in its latch holding positionbutreleasable therefrom when subjectto apredetermined tempera- .ture.

8. Inanigniter, a supportstructure, arotatable member for accomplishingigniting, a shaft connected v'thereto and journaled in the supportstructure, a ratchet wheel carried by the shaft and spaced Vfrom. therotatable member, a coiled `spring surrounding the shaft between themember and-ratchetwheeland havingone endl connected tothe. shaft-and theother end secured to the support structure, a spring biased latch meansVfor engagement with the wheelv to hold the .shaft and` spring in` awoundv condition,. a cord conynectedto thelatch means at one end andanchoredat. its other end, and-thermostatically. re-

sponsivemeans .for holding i the cordv so tensioned fthatfthelatchmeansisvengaged with the wheel and for-.releasing the cord to. permit.release. of `thelatch meansfwhen a predetermined temperature. occurs.

9. Inv an igniten-.a support structure, a rotatable -member foraccomplishing igniting, a shaft connected thereto and journaled. in thesupport Structurae ratchetwheel carried by the shaft `and spaced fromthe rotatable member, a coiled spring surrounding the shaft between themember and ratchet wheeland having one. end connected to the shaft. andthe other end secured to/the supportstructure,v a spring biased latchVVVmeansffor.engagement with the wheel to hold Athe. shaft andspring ina wound condition, a cord connected to the latch means at one end vandan- Ychored at-its other end,.and means forholding thethecord sotensioned that the latch is en gagedwith the wheel and for releasing thecord to lpermitrelease of the latch when a predeterminedtemperatureoccurs, said last named means comprising a member movable toaV position to flexf the to:1 aa positionf to,l thereby vnlovethe latchzmeans to holding; position-,faudrai thermo-.- static element to hold thesaid member inzlatch holding.l position and capable ot releasing. sameywhen .a predeterminedtemperature occurs. i

10. In an igniter, an elongated support structure, a springl operatedrota-table member to accomplish igniting mountediny the supportlstructuremeans comprising latch means at one end of the structure tohold the rotatable member from Vrota-tion bythe spring, a cord.connected at vone end 'to the latch means and at its other end to theremote end' of the support structure, said-cordha-ving a slack conditioninwhichthe latch, means caribe in non-holding conditiom. a swingablemember mounted on the intermediate portion of .thesupportstructureandcapable of swinging outwardly against/the cord and thereby pullingthe cord tantra-nd maintaining the latch-in holding position,Vand.thermostatically controlled means for holding the swingable. memberVin its outward position and capable of. releasing it when apredetermined temperature. occurs.

11. In.` an igniter, an elongated support structure,v a spring operatedrotatable member. to accomplish igniting mounted in the supportstrueture, means. comprising latch means at one., end of the structureto hold the rotatable member from rotation by the spring, a cordconnected at one end tothe latch means and at its other end tothe remoteend ofthe support structure, said cord having a slack condition in whichthe latch means can be in non-holding condition, a swingablemembermounted on the intermediate portion of the support structure and.capable of swinging outwardly to an angle less. than degrees with thelongitudinalaxis of the..suppor t structure and against the cord tothereby ,pull the cord taut and maintain the latch in. holding position,a bowed thermostatic element for engaging and holding the swingablemember. in.V its outward position but capable of releasing it when a.predetermined temperature occurs, and a support guide for thethermostatic'element preventiing its. de'ection by the tension ofthe.cord act"- ing' through the, swingable member and tending tocollapse itinwardly.

12. ,In an igniterfor smudgepot's, an elongated U-shaped casingstructureL a shaft. mounted lengthwise therein, a knurled wheel mounted"at Voneend othe` shaft, alint for engagement' by thewheeltoproducesparks, a leaf spring mounted in the casingr andY acting' on the.flintto .biasit Vintoengagement lwith the wheel, a coiled spring 'in.surrounding relation to the shaft for rotating the same when wound up,ratchet means includ- `ingY a ratchet wheel on the shaft for holdingitheREFERENCES CITED The, following references. are of record in .the

.le of this patent-z UNITED STATES' PA'IENTS Number' Name DateV1,095,015 Mayer Apr. 23.119114 1,165,326V Dunn Dec. 21, 191'5 1,550,007'Ciraolo Aug. 2,8, 1925

